Despite two state enforcement actions, smoke plumes persist at Curtis Bay Energy, say residents, who discover that one tool that could have held the company accountable was eliminated by the City Council 14 years ago.
Watchdog groups say the state is not doing enough to prevent the water sluicing off highways, roads and bridges from spreading contaminants into Chesapeake Bay and other watersheds.
With water quality better by some measures but still sewage plagued by others, activists caution that Sunday’s Harbor Splash may be taking a victory plunge too soon.
The harbor, Patapsco River and Gwynns Falls not only got “F” grades, but posted slightly worse marks than in 2022. This comes two decades after Baltimore signed a consent decree to meet the standards of the Clean Water Act.